From May 19th to 25th, Fronton Mexico receives 16 players of different nationalities to participate in Betway 2022 tournament.
Eight pairs of pelotaris formed by three French: Olha, Tambour and Laduche; two Spanish: Iturbide and Arbe; Aaron and Inclán by Mexico, and Zulaika representing USA. All of them will play the front position. Oyhenard, Inza, Portet and Laborde will be the defenders for France; Bailo and Ibarluzea for Spain; and Zapata and Perez appear for Mexico.
As substitutes we will have the Mexicans Karim and Ituarte.
Judges Alfonso Ortega, Carlos Humberto Puga Solís and Lorenzo Orozco Luna will be present at all matches to offer fans a renowned game.
Jai Alai, pelota vasca or cesta punta
Jai Alai or Zesta-Punta (in Euskera) is a sport that originated in the Basque region whose meaning “happy party”. It’s considered the second fastest sport in the world as the speed of the ball can reach up to 300 km/h.
The punta de cesta is played on a court known as a Fronton, which consists of 3 walls: the “frontis” or front wall, the “aid” or side wall and the “rebot” or back wall. On the right is the open side and that’s where the public sits. The court is divided into 16 squares of equal length that stand out the numbers 4, 7 and 10 ½.
In the Fronton there are two pelotaris called frontcourt and backcourt (zaguero). The frontcourt player serves and has an offensive game since his main objective are to score “tantos” (points). The backcourt player has a more defensive game, although he also supports the frontcourt and attacks when he has the opportunity.
The players use a long pointed curved basket (cesta) that is made according to the height, size, style and playing position of each pelotari. It’s carried in the right hand and the ball must enter through the tip of the basket and when thrown, it must also come out through the tip.
The structure of a basket is made of chestnut wood and its body is woven with wicker. At the end of each game, the basket maker must give it maintenance for greater durability.
It’s worth mentioning that the Spaniard Iñigo Calzacorta has designed a new basket made of carbon fiber and aluminum, with which the Guipuzkoan Inaki Osa Goikoetxea “Goiko” beat a Guinness record in 2020, setting the mark of 313 km/h.
The balls they use are made by craftsmen for a whole year and have a lifespan of approximately 20 minutes on the court. Its core material is virgin rubber coated with linen or nylon thread, covered with two layers of cooked goat skin, thus giving it the final finish and resistance.
The pelotari’s glove must be made of leather to fit his hand perfectly.
Each throw against the wall of the fronton produces a loud sound, like a whip or a shot, which can be heard both on the court and in the stands. For this reason, the walls are usually made of granite.
History of “Palacio de la Pelota Vasca”
In the middle of the 19th century, many Basque immigrants arrived in America and thus the cesta punta became known, especially in USA and Mexico countries with a lot of fans for this sport.
In 1929, Frontón México was inaugurated, an art déco style building designed by Joaquín Capilla and Teodoro Kunhardt. In addition to its architectural grandeur, the frontis was made with marble from “Palacio de Bellas Artes” and the court stands out for being the largest in the world.
During most of the 20th century, important businessmen, artist personalities, and diplomats went to the Frontón to support their pelotaris. It was one of the most popular places for the elite of the time, who would arrive in luxurious automobiles and formal dresses to start their bets.
Some of the most important events in this venue were the farewell ceremony of Pablo Neruda in 1943, best international tournaments and the 1968 Olympic Games. Unfortunately, in 1996 it was closed due to labor conflicts and after two decades, the “Palacio del Jai Alai” was remodeled by architect José Moyao to reopen its doors in 2017. In that year, great entrepreneurs attended as guests of honor, among which Carlos Slim and Arturo Elías Ayub stood out.
Currently the building has a large mobile stage, a casino, and the Zesta Punta restaurant-bar directed by the chef Guy Santoro.
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